Flood-fence



(No Model.)

H CATLETT & 'E. ROBERTSON.

FLOOD FENCE.

Patented Mar. 31', 1891.

. NITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

FLOOD- FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 449,204, dated March 31, 1891.

Application filed October 21, 1890. Serial No. 368,872. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HERALD CATLETT and EDWIN ROBERTSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Fairmount, in the county of Vermilion and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and)usefullmprovements in Flood Fences or Gates; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure lof the drawings represents a view showing our improved flood-fence in use; Fig. 2, a top plan view of the fence; Fig. 3, a sectional elevation on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 4 a side view thereof partly in broken section.

The present invention has relation to floodfences which are used for closing gaps in a line of fence where itcrosses streams of water; and the object thereof is to provide such a fence as will be simple in construction, effective in operation, and possess the neces sary strength and durability, which objects are attained by the construction substantially as shown in the drawings andhereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings a gap in which a stream of water flows is shown in Fig. 1 between the banks upon which the ornary fence is built, in order better to illustrate the application of the invention. The

base of the flood-fence consists of the two clamping-plates A B,between whichare held the spring-wire pickets C, and the clampingplates are firmly held in position upon the bed of the stream by suitable metal pins or stakes a.

Ive do not wish to be confined to any special means of anchoring the fence or holding it in position on the bed of the stream, as it is evident that any well-known and desirable means may be employed without departing from the principle of our invention, and there fore have shown one of many means that could be employed to attain this object, the pins or stakes being preferably bolted to the plates A B, and any number may be used, as found desirable.

The clamping-plates A B have holes I) at suitable distances apart, through which screwbolts 0 pass, and by means of the nuts (I 011 the bolts the two plates may be drawn togcther against the lower ends of the pickets, which are located between them.

The lower ends of thepickets C have coiled springs c and terminate at their lower extremity in eyes f,thro ugh which the bolts pass. If desired,washers maybe interposed between the eyes of the pickets and the plates, and also between the plates and the nuts of the bolts. This, however, is discretionary and is not essential, and the same maybe said of the flanges on the clamping-plates, which may be dispcnsed with; but it is preferred that the flange g be used and provided with notches h to form seats for the wire pickets, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4. The pickets being yielding and having a spring action, the drift cannot force of the current will cause the pickets to bend or spring suflicient for the drift to pass over, after which the pickets will spring back to their proper place. The pickets may be disposed in a perpendicular position or at an angle, as found desirable, and the base of the fence or gate, which consists of the clamping plates, may be made in sections and bolted together, so as to adapt it to streams of different widths.

The plate A, as previously stated, is preferably made with a flange g, having notches h, in which are seated the wire pickets O,which holds the pickets in an upright position and prevents lateral displacement. The notches, however, are of such size as to allow of their lateral adjustment when necessity requires to adapt the fence to any incline of the bank of the stream, and, further, to provide for this adjustment the eyes f are sufficiently large to allow the necessary movement of the lower end of the picket.

In adjusting the pickets for the purpose above described the nuts upon the bolts are loosened and the pickets brought from the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4:, to an upright position shown in full lines, this ad j ustment of course being required 011 account of the angle which the clamping-plates assume on the bank of the stream, as shown. After this adjustment of the pickets is made the nuts on the bolts are screwed up and the plates brought in frictional contact with the accumulate to any great extent before the lower portion of the pickets that are between them,which willhold them firmly in their adjusted position. The eyes in the lower ends of the pickets may be of any desirable size and shape so long as the adjustment of the pickets can be made.

The coil-spring in the picketsis considered of material importance, as it will allow the pickets to act when a sufficient pressure is :0 brought against them by the drift and will quickly restore their normal or upright position when the pressure is removed.

Should a picket become broken or injured, it can be quickly removed and replaced by a new one, and every provision is made for at training the highest excellence in afiood-fence that can be readily put up in position and that will be both strong and durable, and as each picket acts independently of the other the fence is more certain in its action and less liable to become inoperative.

Having now fully described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a flood-fence, the combination, with wire pickets having spring-coils, of clampingplates between which the pickets are held and means foranchoringsaid plates upon the bed of the stream, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 3o

2. In a flood-fence, the combination, with independently-adjustable pickets, of clampin g-plates between which the pickets are held, one of said plates having a notched flange to form seats for the Wire pickets, substantially 5 as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a flood-fence, the combination, with the pickets having coiled springs and eyes, of clamping-plates held together by suitable bolts, which pass through the plates and the 4: eyes of the pickets, one of said plates having a notched flange, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that We claim the above We have hereunto subscribed our names in the presence of two witnesses.

HERALD OATLETT. EDVIN ROBERTSON.

Witnesses:

B. N. TOVVNER, ALVIN A. TAYLOR. 

